Feed the Children Vallarta
Encyclopedia
Feed the Children Vallarta is a non-profit
tax exempt
charitable corporation
based in the city of Puerto Vallarta
, Jalisco
, Mexico
. Founded in 1998 as “Desayunos Para Los Niños de Vallarta A.C” ("Feed the Children Vallarta"”) or as it soon came to be known simply as “Children of the Dump Vallarta".
Since its inception in 1998, “Feed the Children Vallarta" has had over twelve years of success in helping the children living in Puerto Vallarta’s poorest neighborhood, that which surrounds the municipal dump
.
each day in order to find items of value that which they could sell. They had no water or electricity
and were forced to move their flimsy shacks every few days as the garbage was bulldozed towards them. They survived day to day but at a very low level of existence. While the parents and older children worked, other children had to take care of the babies. Most important, the children did not attend school and without an education
, were destined to repeat the cycle of poverty
as their parents before them had.
. But it was soon discovered that these children came to school each morning without breakfast
. The principal had noted that by 10 am the children would lose all concentration as they began listening to their empty stomachs instead of the teachers. It was then decided to also start providing a breakfast meal to these children every school day.
s to help expand the program. As a result a partnership was born and now most of the volunteers are paid by the church to work for the "Children of the Dump". The breakfast feeding program was expanded to include another 300 students at the primary school across the street where most also came to school without a breakfast. Soon the principal was reporting the same results. Better attendance, better concentration, better behavior and better grades. The program then continued to expand to then include all of the primary and kindergarten school in the 5 barrio
s that surround the city dump.
Within two years of its inception, "Feed the Children Vallarta" was feeding over 1,500 children in 6 primary schools and 8 kindergartens schools surrounding the city dump. And because of the work done by organizations like "Feed the Children Vallarta" and with help from Puerto Vallarta's city government, there are no longer any families living in the dump. And most importantly there are also no more children working in this horrible place.
The initial goal of the "Feed the Children Vallarta" organization had been to get the children living in and near the dump into school and keep them there. But to accomplish this, and keep them in school, the emphasis had to expand to also feeding them a breakfast as they entered these school so they could concentrate and learn.
jet travelling from Puerto Vallarta crashed
off the coast of California
killing all 88 people aboard. Among those lost on that day were Joe and Linda Knight, a missionary
couple who had become active with had been helping "Perdon y Amistad" and volunteering with “Feed the Children Vallarta."
, the U.S.
and Mexico
was the construction of what is known today as the "School of Champions." This building, only two blocks from the entrance to the dump is where students from primary schools in the area are now taught Math
, English
and Computer skills in an after-school program.
The school has since expanded to include a morning session from 10 to 12, an afternoon session from 4 to 6, as well as an offsite program in a primary school where our teacher
s conduct English classes for grades 3 through 6 during the regular school hours. There are now over 300 students enrolled in the after school programs. A detailed curriculum
has been added which is similar to the English programs used by the private
bi-lingual schools
in the city. Many of those teaching these English classes are volunteers and are asked to commit at least 6 month of continuous teaching in the school and preferably the entire school year.
centers in the poor areas of Puerto Vallarta. Because of the record of service in these areas, "Feed the Children Vallarta" was chosen to operate these centers. Each has a capacity of 20 to 25 children ages 3 ½ months to 3 ½ years of age. Each day-care is open Monday through Friday and has a full time cook
and one teacher for each 5 or 6 children. There are currently about 120 children enrolled in this program, most of the children coming from single parent (mothers) families. This program is essential for these mothers to able to work, knowing that their children are being cared for. Without this day care, one of the older children in the household would have to stay out of school in order to care for the younger children.
s, new classes were set up to handle the waiting list of students including secondary students in grades 7 and 8. This was aimed at those students who have recently passed through several years of classes and programs at the "School of Champions" and want to continue their studies in Math, English and Computers. Since local primary and secondary school
s do not provide classes in English or Computers, the main goal of this continuing education and programs is to give these children the English, Computer and Math skills along with the education in the regular public school through to Grade 9. So that they can get a good job in the one industry in town of Puerto Vallarta. That of tourism
.
to the "School of Champions" students and children in the neighborhood of the dump; offering them a chance to see places in Puerto Vallarta they never would have a chance to otherwise. The camp included art
, dance
, music
, English, computers and swimming. More than 130 children attend each year.
to be hauled to the new dump over 1 ½ hours inland. Before the dump closed, over 200 people worked in the dump scavenging for anything of value that they could sell. Now the transfer station offers less than 100 jobs. That coupled with the downturn of the local economy has many people out of work.
As a result of the dump closure, "Feed the Children Vallarta" has come to the assistance of these affected people as well. Every evening around 9pm, over 600 people are fed a meal of pan dulce, taco
s, bread
, juice
and fortified milk
. The food is aimed primarily at children but many adults and parents also are fed by this so-called "Fire Fly" program. It will be necessary continue this feeding of the poor families living around the now-closed dump for the foreseeable future or until the local economy
picks up and these people can get back to work.
in the number of its students. As a result more teachers and volunteers are needed as well as funding for vehicles, food costs and other operating expenses.
But most importantly, the school needs more classroom space to handle the increased enrollment. Plans are to add more classrooms to the school in order to accommodate first a new grade 7 program followed a year or so later with classrooms to house the grade 8 and grade 9 in the following year. Once these new classrooms are built, Saturday programs can be added. These would be in computers, arts and crafts
, English games, and add special programs introducing career opportunities with talks from successful local businessmen and professionals.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
tax exempt
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
charitable corporation
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
based in the city of Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican balneario resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas.The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as 255,725 making it the sixth-largest city in the state of Jalisco...
, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Founded in 1998 as “Desayunos Para Los Niños de Vallarta A.C” ("Feed the Children Vallarta"”) or as it soon came to be known simply as “Children of the Dump Vallarta".
Since its inception in 1998, “Feed the Children Vallarta" has had over twelve years of success in helping the children living in Puerto Vallarta’s poorest neighborhood, that which surrounds the municipal dump
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
.
1998 - The Appalling Need
When "Feed the Children Vallarta" began, there were more than 80 families with 200 children living and working in the dump. Both the adults and the children picked through the garbageWaste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
each day in order to find items of value that which they could sell. They had no water or electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
and were forced to move their flimsy shacks every few days as the garbage was bulldozed towards them. They survived day to day but at a very low level of existence. While the parents and older children worked, other children had to take care of the babies. Most important, the children did not attend school and without an education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, were destined to repeat the cycle of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
as their parents before them had.
1998 - A Kindergarten and Feeding Program is Established
A group of concerned residents talked to the mothers of these children to determine what it would take to get these children out of the dump and in school. After some discussions, the mothers were persuaded to send their small children to a local kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
. But it was soon discovered that these children came to school each morning without breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
. The principal had noted that by 10 am the children would lose all concentration as they began listening to their empty stomachs instead of the teachers. It was then decided to also start providing a breakfast meal to these children every school day.
Other Groups Joined in to Help.
The results were quick and remarkable. Attendance increased, the children were able to concentrate better and their learning improved. A local Christian church, "Perdon y Amistad", heard of the startup program and offered to supply volunteers and vehicleVehicle
A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
s to help expand the program. As a result a partnership was born and now most of the volunteers are paid by the church to work for the "Children of the Dump". The breakfast feeding program was expanded to include another 300 students at the primary school across the street where most also came to school without a breakfast. Soon the principal was reporting the same results. Better attendance, better concentration, better behavior and better grades. The program then continued to expand to then include all of the primary and kindergarten school in the 5 barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s that surround the city dump.
Within two years of its inception, "Feed the Children Vallarta" was feeding over 1,500 children in 6 primary schools and 8 kindergartens schools surrounding the city dump. And because of the work done by organizations like "Feed the Children Vallarta" and with help from Puerto Vallarta's city government, there are no longer any families living in the dump. And most importantly there are also no more children working in this horrible place.
The initial goal of the "Feed the Children Vallarta" organization had been to get the children living in and near the dump into school and keep them there. But to accomplish this, and keep them in school, the emphasis had to expand to also feeding them a breakfast as they entered these school so they could concentrate and learn.
2000 - A year of Tragedy and Remembrance
Then in 2000, tragedy struck. An Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
jet travelling from Puerto Vallarta crashed
Alaska Airlines Flight 261
Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, experienced a fatal accident on January 31, 2000 at the Pacific Ocean about 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California. The two pilots, three cabin crewmembers, and 83 passengers on board were killed and the aircraft was destroyed...
off the coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
killing all 88 people aboard. Among those lost on that day were Joe and Linda Knight, a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
couple who had become active with had been helping "Perdon y Amistad" and volunteering with “Feed the Children Vallarta."
2001 - "School of Champions" is Born
As a memorial to them, their son and friends started raising funds to build a community center by the dump. The result of his and the combined effort of many other people throughout CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
was the construction of what is known today as the "School of Champions." This building, only two blocks from the entrance to the dump is where students from primary schools in the area are now taught Math
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Computer skills in an after-school program.
The school has since expanded to include a morning session from 10 to 12, an afternoon session from 4 to 6, as well as an offsite program in a primary school where our teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s conduct English classes for grades 3 through 6 during the regular school hours. There are now over 300 students enrolled in the after school programs. A detailed curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
has been added which is similar to the English programs used by the private
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
bi-lingual schools
Bilingual education
Bilingual education involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model.-Bilingual education program models:...
in the city. Many of those teaching these English classes are volunteers and are asked to commit at least 6 month of continuous teaching in the school and preferably the entire school year.
2003 - New Funding brings New Challenges
In 2003, UNICEF and the Mexican government provided funding to build nine day careDay care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
centers in the poor areas of Puerto Vallarta. Because of the record of service in these areas, "Feed the Children Vallarta" was chosen to operate these centers. Each has a capacity of 20 to 25 children ages 3 ½ months to 3 ½ years of age. Each day-care is open Monday through Friday and has a full time cook
Cook (profession)
A cook is a person who prepares food for consumption. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Canada this profession requires government approval ....
and one teacher for each 5 or 6 children. There are currently about 120 children enrolled in this program, most of the children coming from single parent (mothers) families. This program is essential for these mothers to able to work, knowing that their children are being cared for. Without this day care, one of the older children in the household would have to stay out of school in order to care for the younger children.
2007 - New Classrooms and New Challenges
With the help of volunteers who helped in the construction and completion of two new classroomClassroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
s, new classes were set up to handle the waiting list of students including secondary students in grades 7 and 8. This was aimed at those students who have recently passed through several years of classes and programs at the "School of Champions" and want to continue their studies in Math, English and Computers. Since local primary and secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s do not provide classes in English or Computers, the main goal of this continuing education and programs is to give these children the English, Computer and Math skills along with the education in the regular public school through to Grade 9. So that they can get a good job in the one industry in town of Puerto Vallarta. That of tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
2008 - The Beginnings of Summers to Remember
In the summer of 2008, "Feed the Children Vallarta" began offering a free summer campSummer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
to the "School of Champions" students and children in the neighborhood of the dump; offering them a chance to see places in Puerto Vallarta they never would have a chance to otherwise. The camp included art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, English, computers and swimming. More than 130 children attend each year.
2009 - The Dump Closes but Creates a New Need
Finally in June 2009. the city dump closed. The grounds are now only used as a transfer point, loading the garbage into large semi trucksSemi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
to be hauled to the new dump over 1 ½ hours inland. Before the dump closed, over 200 people worked in the dump scavenging for anything of value that they could sell. Now the transfer station offers less than 100 jobs. That coupled with the downturn of the local economy has many people out of work.
As a result of the dump closure, "Feed the Children Vallarta" has come to the assistance of these affected people as well. Every evening around 9pm, over 600 people are fed a meal of pan dulce, taco
Taco
A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety...
s, bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
, juice
Juice
Juice is the liquid that is naturally contained in fruit or vegetable tissue.Juice is prepared by mechanically squeezing or macerating fruit or vegetable flesh without the application of heat or solvents. For example, orange juice is the liquid extract of the fruit of the orange tree...
and fortified milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
. The food is aimed primarily at children but many adults and parents also are fed by this so-called "Fire Fly" program. It will be necessary continue this feeding of the poor families living around the now-closed dump for the foreseeable future or until the local economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
picks up and these people can get back to work.
2010 - Looking Forward
Each year the reputation of the "School of Champions" and "Feed the Children - Vallarta" continues grow. And with the success of the school programs has caused a big increase in enrollment recent years. New students continue to enroll each month and unlike most schools, the "School of Champions" has practically no significant attritionAttrition
Attrition may refer to:*Physical wear*Attrition warfare, the military strategy of wearing down the enemy by continual losses in personnel and material*Loss of personnel by Withdrawal...
in the number of its students. As a result more teachers and volunteers are needed as well as funding for vehicles, food costs and other operating expenses.
But most importantly, the school needs more classroom space to handle the increased enrollment. Plans are to add more classrooms to the school in order to accommodate first a new grade 7 program followed a year or so later with classrooms to house the grade 8 and grade 9 in the following year. Once these new classrooms are built, Saturday programs can be added. These would be in computers, arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
, English games, and add special programs introducing career opportunities with talks from successful local businessmen and professionals.
A Record of Achievements
Today, programs and services offered by "Feed the Children Vallarta" have shown significant result:- In 1998, 70% of these children who lived around the dump never graduated from grade 6.
- Today over 90% continue on to grade 7
- Enrollment in these schools has doubled and in some cases tripled over the last 10 years.
- There are no families living in the dump, and no more children working in the dump.
- There are day care centers to care for the children of single mothers who want to work.
- There is an after school program for those children who want to learn English and computer skills.
- 1,800 meals are served each school day to the students in the 5 primary and kindergarten schools that surround the dump.
- Approximately 1,500 hot meals are served each week to mothers and young children who live in the area, with food from local restaurantRestaurantA restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and businesses, and the Children of the Dump kitchen. - 150 children are now enrolled in "Feed the Children Vallarta" Day Cares Centers located in the poor areas surrounding the City dump.
Unchanging Mission
The mission for "Feed the Children Vallarta" has remained unchanged since its inception. To help the children who live around the dump go to school, stay in school and learn. The staff and volunteers truly believe that every child deserves:- A healthy mind,
- A healthy body
- And the opportunity for a better life.
Media Articles
- Bandaras News: http://www.banderasnews.com/vallarta-living/children.htm
- Bandaras News:: http://www.banderasnews.com/0805/vl-cod10years.htm
- IGoUGo News: http://www.igougo.com/story-s1219268-Puerto_Vallarta-Children_of_the_Dump.html
- Virtual Vallarta News: http://www.virtualvallarta.com/puertovallarta/puertovallarta/localnews/the-children-of-the-dump-.shtml
- PV Scene: http://www.pvscene.com/?p=879
- PR.Com: http://www.pr.com/press-release/92077
- Puerto Vallarta Business Directory: http://www.puertovallartabusiness.com/community-organizations.php
- Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Puerto-Vallarta-Mexico/Puerto-Vallarta-School-of-Champions/39882775044
External links
- Official Web Site (new): http://www.feedthechildrenvallarta.com
- Old Official Web Site (Still works): http://www.childrenofthedumpvallarta.org
- Cafe Roma, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico : http://www.romamexico.com/
- Perdon Y Amistad: http://perdonamistad.com/
- Unicef: http://www.unicef.org